Excavation near Stonehenge found evidence of a settlement dating back to 7,500 BC, revealing the site was occupied some 5,000 years earlier than previously thought.

Working at Vespasians Camp in Amesbury, Wiltshire, less than a mile from the megalithic stones, a team led by archaeologist David Jacques of the Open University unearthed material which contradicted the general belief that no people settled there until as late as 2,500 BC.

Indeed, carbon dating of the material revealed the existence of a semi-permanent settlement which was occupied from 7,500 to 4,700 BC. The dating showed that people were present during every millennium in between.

The team has found the community who put the first monument up at Stonehenge, archaeologist Josh Pollard from Southampton University and the Stonehenge Riverside Project, told the BBC.

The researchers believe that the people who settled at Vespasians Camp also built the first monument at Stonehenge  large wooden posts erected between the 9th and 7th millennia BC.

The findings, to be broadcast in a documentary on BBC One, shows that Stonehenge wasnt just abandoned by Mesolithic humans and occupied by Neolithic people thousands of years later. On the contrary, it represents a place where one culture mingled with the other.

......

According to Peter Rowley-Conwy, professor of archaeology at Durham University, the finding is significant.

The site has the potential to become one of the most important Mesolithic sites in northwestern Europe, Rowley-Conwy said.

The Timuquan natives lived in the area of my home 300 years ago. A plantation existed here 200 years ago. My home was built in 1950. I moved into my home in 2001.

There is archaeological evidence of all these occurring in the exact same location. Yet, I am certain that the Timuquan had nothing to do with the flowers I put out last week, and that there were no slaves involved.

I guess archaeologists have to do something, but they do themselves no favors by jumping to conclusions on scant evidence.

16
posted on 04/20/2013 8:15:37 AM PDT
by SampleMan
(Feral Humans are the refuse of socialism.)

Thanks Perdogg. This isn't surprising at all -- there's settlement remains for a long distance in all directions, and a broad roadway that -- of course -- has been claimed to be for ceremonial purposes, when in reality it was built to accommodate a large population. I'll go out on a limb and predict, once the former nearby riverbed starts to get sifted near and downstream of the whole site, much more will turn up, showing a long period of occupation and waste disposal by a large population.

To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list.

24
posted on 04/20/2013 10:17:23 AM PDT
by SunkenCiv
(Romney would have been worse, if you're a dumb ass.)

Thanks! The more I learn about “old” places and “old” records, the more I am convinced that modern scientists can’t see beyond the end of their collective noses when it comes to habitation in certain areas. Some folks are just SO arrogant! LOL!

25
posted on 04/20/2013 10:43:54 AM PDT
by Monkey Face
( The good outnumber the evil ones, and we always will.)

Some are confusing the idea that the site is 5,000 years older than previously thought, and that the henge itstelf is 5,000 years older. Because of additional digging, researchers are discovering traces much older than they previously thought. The age of stonehenge is not older. As they pointed out, previously there are traces of a woodhenge. In the US everyone thought there was nothing older than Clovis. Then they started digging below Clovis level, and guess what, US might have been settled earlier than Clovis. Keep digging guys, and if you want to use some of my tax money for exploratory grants, I prefer that to spending on an unnecessary war in Iraq in 2003. [Before someone gives me heck about that, I currently have a son in Afghanistan.]

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